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Research projects

Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) farming in Papua New Guinea is an emerging
industry. Crocodiles are fed high quality feed made from extrudated animal byproducts, however it disintegrates on contact with water, and this leads to low utilisation.

Our study showed that alginate addition to crocodile feed improved its stability in water and did not impair nutrient digestion. Application of these findings should greatly decrease feed wastage, which ultimately will increase economic returns and decrease environmental impacts.

Cats are unique among domestic animals in that they are obligate carnivores and have a high protein requirement. However, there are few data on protein turnover and amino acid (AA) metabolism in cats.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of dietary protein content on urea production and Leu
metabolism in cats. The project found that the high protein requirement of cats combined with a low rate of whole-body protein synthesis ensures that an obligate demand of AAs for energy or glucose (or both) can be met in an animal that evolved with a diet high in protein with very little or no carbohydrate.

Antimicrobial resistant bacteria in dairy cattle

The development and transmission of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a complex and multifaceted process. One of the main drivers identified for the development and spread of AMR is the use of antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine as well as for agricultural use.

A project led by Distinguished Professor Nigel French and Dr Sarah Burgess investigated this issue and developed recommendations on how to manage antimicrobial use in order to prevent bacteria in the gut of dairy cattle developing AMR.

Antler removal and deer welfare

Evaluation of analgesia of the pedicle and antler. This resulted in best practice for analgesia of the velvet antler. An additional study concerns the factors contributing to the death of stags under xylazine sedation for the purpose of antler removal.

Birth - making it easier for cattle

Massey scientists researched the potential to control dystocia using restricted feeding in early pregnancy. We conducted three years of field experiments in which we manipulated the liveweight gain of heifers and examined the size, growth and birthing difficulty of the resulting calves.

We found that feeding in early pregnancy did not influence the birth weight of calves.

Bryde’s whales share secrets with their fins

Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) are classified as nationally critical in New Zealand and appear only on the north-eastern coast of the North Island.

A study, lead by Massey University’s Dr Gabriela Tezanos-Pinto, collated an extensive database of photographs showing distinctive fin features of individual whales over eight years to obtain missing demographic information about the local population.

Cameras light up bats in the dark

Dr David Hayman has been working with a US agency to develop tools that may be the key to saving bats from white-nose syndrome, a disease decimating their populations.

The bats are affected during hibernation, so the work sought to use less-disruptive thermal imaging to monitor behaviour over winter. The work is part of a long-term effort led by the United States Geological Survey to attempt to reverse the decline in many bat species in the US.

Capturing and analysing limb injuries in race horses

Equestrian industries make up about 2 per cent of New Zealand’s GDP and about a third of horses that start training and racing are retired and lost due to injury. About three-quarters of these are musculoskeletal injuries.
Dr Bob Colborne and PhD student Alienor Bardin, a mechanical engineer, are investigating solutions to these injuries in race horses using 3D capture and computer modelling.
The project involves having the horses trot and canter along a runway in a sand arena over a force platform embedded in the surface in front of six infrared cameras that record the 3D movement of the horse’s limb segments on a consistent surface.

Compassion fatigue in wildlife workers

Massey Wildbase Oiled Wildlife Response has collaborated with social work researchers at Massey to investigate compassion fatigue in wildlife carers.

Oil spill response involving wildlife attracts responders that often have deep connections to animals and the desire to alleviate their suffering. Oil spills are emergencies where wildlife responders work under intense and stressful conditions with animal mortality a reality.

A natural consequence of this is that responders could experience compassion fatigue, the erosion of compassion over time.

Bridey White from Wildbase and Polly Yeung from Massey's School of Social Work are working together to explore potential levels of compassion fatigue in wildlife carers and investigate self-care practices that can help develop resilience and lessen possible long term influences.

Cow GPS aids sustainable grazing research

This research monitored cows over two consecutive winters at Massey University’s Tuapaka farm to get baseline measures of how the beef cows used the 8 to 12 ha paddocks.

The research found that, even in extensive hill country paddocks, cows avoided walking uphill. Instead the cows followed the contours of the hills and concentrated their grazing on the flatter areas. The movement of the cows was largely unaffected by cold, wet weather. The research is part of an ongoing project funded by Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Student research

The research component of the programme gave me the opportunity to investigate an inherited blindness in sheep and I gained invaluable skills in problem solving and critical analysis. I am now using these skills as I work towards my PhD, and my current research is focused on an unexplained muscle disease in dogs. It’s exciting to think that I could be the person who discovers what causes this disease, and the new knowledge generated may help prevent and treat cases in future.

I have always been particularly interested in companion and working dog health, particularly canine hip dysplasia (CHD). I have seen first-hand in clinical practice how debilitating the disease can be. My ongoing interest in CHD formed the basis of my MVM dissertation, which provided a comprehensive literature review to the pathophysiology, genetics, diagnosis and treatment of CHD. The dissertation also included original research which was later condensed and prepared for publication in the New Zealand Veterinary Journal as two separate articles.

Sarah's PhD research focused on spatial ecology and conservation of cetaceans. The project focused on common dolphin (Delphinus sp.), Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) in the Hauraki Gulf, with the overarching goal of providing scientific information for conservation and management.

Despite them being a national icon, very little is known about tui life histories.
Sarah's research showed that tui have one of the highest rates of extra-pair paternity (multiple mating by females that creates broods of mixed paternity) currently known. Paternity success was positively related to male body size, creating selection pressures which have led to the evolution of one of the highest levels of sexual size dimorphism in birds (male tui are 50% heavier than females). Males who had larger throat feather plumes also gained more extra-pair paternity.

3D Imaging Gallery

AviaNZ birdsong recognition software

Developed by Massey scientists this software program is easy to use and equipped with the essentials for spectrogram reading, analysis and manual annotation. You can download the software along with the user manual for free.

Guide to New Zealand soil invertebrates

Guide to sheep health

The Sheep: Health, Disease and Production is a guide to sheep health, disease and production for veterinarians, farmers, farm advisors, and veterinary, agricultural and applied science students. The latest edition features the latest research and thinking on sheep health, disease and production and includes in-depth information on exotic sheep diseases such as Helicobacter abortion and Schmallenberg virus.

Invertebrate DNA Toolkit

Livestock production in New Zealand

The complete guide to the management of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, deer, goats, pigs, poultry, horses and working dogs in New Zealand. Written mainly by experts from Massey University’s School of Veterinary Science, it is of value and interest to everyone from students to farmers, right across New Zealand’s agribusiness sector. Edited by Kevin Stafford.

Reintroduction specialist group

This a networking group for reintroduction practitioners worldwide, and provides guidance for re-introduction projects. It provides a set of guidelines for reintroductions, a reintroduction practitioners directory and other resources. Massey University leads this group.

Sward stick

A printed 'yardstick', this tool was created to show the relationship between seasonality, the height and yield of herb pasture mixes in the field and whether stock should then be grazing, or not. The stick aims to assist farmers' understanding of the management of 'new' forage pasture types.

Veterinary Clinical Toxicology

An excellent resource on toxicoses for veterinary students, practitioners, agriculturalists, diagnostic laboratories and libraries. Includes the latest references, new toxicities and an expanded section of poisonous plant plates in colour.

AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding

Animal Welfare Science and Bioethics Centre

The Centre focuses on animal welfare in a diverse range of human-animal interactions. This includes the use of animals in research, teaching and testing, on farms, in the home, for sport, recreation and entertainment, in service roles, in zoos and the wild, and in other arenas.

EpiCentre

The EpiCentre is the largest veterinary epidemiology training and research centre in Australasia. It is widely considered to be one of the leading groups in the world. We have expertise in the understanding and control of disease in animal populations, the transmission of disease from animals to humans, and hazards in food of animal origin.

Equine Research Centre

Much of the equine research carried out in New Zealand is conducted at Massey University. Our aim is to perform scientific research and promote education to optimise equine health, welfare and the productivity of the equine industry.

Hopkirk Institute

The Hopkirk Institute is a joint institute – scientists are from both AgResearch and Massey University. It has the southern hemisphere's largest concentration of health sciences for pastoral-fed animals.

Scientists collaborate on researching solutions for the sustainable control of parasitic diseases, primarily in sheep and cattle including:

Infectious Disease Research Centre (IDReC)

The Centre engages in applied research concerning multi-host pathogens and fundamental research regarding pathogen evolution and disease emergence. We cover the spectrum of population-based infectious disease research from microbiology, through population genetics, epidemiology, molecular epidemiology, disease ecology, statistics, mathematical modelling, and public health.

International Sheep Research Centre

Monogastric Research Centre

The Centre is an Australasian Centre of Excellence on monogastric species. Research focuses on feed evaluation, nutrition, husbandry and welfare. It provides a focal point for the New Zealand monogastric industries and has extensive international linkages.

Wildbase research centre

Research at Wildbase promotes collaborative investigation of wildlife in support of the welfare and conservation of New Zealand native fauna. Our research expertise covers a wide range of wildlife issues.